Helena Rutherford, PhD
Associate Professor in the Child Study Center
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Dr Rutherford's research focuses on understanding the neurobiology of parenting and the development of new approaches to assess parenting in the laboratory. She uses primarily behavioral and electrophysiological assessments, and her recent work has focused on measuring sensitivity to infant cues (visual and auditory) as well as top-down regulation of response to infant cues by cognitive control. She is also interested in how addiction may impact these processes, as well as assessing the contribution of other individual difference measures to the neural correlates of parenting. Dr Rutherford’s additional research interests include emotion perception and regulation, as well as developmental changes that occur during adolescence in sensitivity to reward and stress.
Dr. Rutherford is the Yale Course Tutor for the University College London / Anna Freud Centre and Yale Child Study Center Masters degree in Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology.Extensive Research Description
Individual differences in the neural correlates of infant cue perception
Maternal distress tolerance and stress reactivity
Coauthors
Selected Publications
- Nonverbal face‐to‐face interactions in macaques and humans: A translational pilot studyDettmer A, Bartz C, Rutherford H. Nonverbal face‐to‐face interactions in macaques and humans: A translational pilot study. Developmental Psychobiology 2023, 65: e22416. PMID: 37860898, DOI: 10.1002/dev.22416.
- Cortisol reactivity to a laboratory stressor predicts increases in depressive symptoms in perinatal and nulliparous women during population-level stressBeech A, Edelman A, Yatziv T, Rutherford H, Joormann J, Gadassi-Polack R. Cortisol reactivity to a laboratory stressor predicts increases in depressive symptoms in perinatal and nulliparous women during population-level stress. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2023, 340: 33-41. PMID: 37499916, PMCID: PMC10529046, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.093.
- Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brain (Trends in Cognitive Sciences 25, 302–316; 2023)Orchard E, Rutherford H, Holmes A, Jamadar S. Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brain (Trends in Cognitive Sciences 25, 302–316; 2023). Trends In Cognitive Sciences 2023, 27: 974. PMID: 37385907, DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.06.002.
- EEG coherence before and after giving birthSandoval I, Ngoh G, Wu J, Crowley M, Rutherford H. EEG coherence before and after giving birth. Brain Research 2023, 1816: 148468. PMID: 37336317, DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148468.
- Envisioning motherhood: Mental‐state language in caregiving narratives across the perinatal periodRutherford H, Yatziv T, Vess M, Brooker R. Envisioning motherhood: Mental‐state language in caregiving narratives across the perinatal period. Infant Mental Health Journal 2023, 44: 218-227. PMID: 36862383, PMCID: PMC10559800, DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22048.
- Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brainOrchard E, Rutherford H, Holmes A, Jamadar S. Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brain. Trends In Cognitive Sciences 2023, 27: 302-316. PMID: 36609018, PMCID: PMC9957969, DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.002.
- Racial disparities in EEG research and their implications for our understanding of the maternal brainPenner F, Wall K, Guan K, Huang H, Richardson L, Dunbar A, Groh A, Rutherford H. Racial disparities in EEG research and their implications for our understanding of the maternal brain. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 2022, 23: 1-16. PMID: 36414837, PMCID: PMC9684773, DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01040-w.
- Current Substance Use and Maternal Neural Responses to Infant Faces and CriesWall K, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Current Substance Use and Maternal Neural Responses to Infant Faces and Cries. International Journal Of Mental Health And Addiction 2022, 1-16. DOI: 10.1007/s11469-022-00947-2.
- Frontal EEG Asymmetry in Fathers who use Intimate Partner ViolenceBaker E, McFaul C, Wu J, Sandoval I, Crowley M, Rutherford H, Stover C. Frontal EEG Asymmetry in Fathers who use Intimate Partner Violence. Journal Of Family Violence 2022, 38: 321-332. DOI: 10.1007/s10896-022-00366-w.
- Parental Mentalizing During a Pandemic: Use of Mental-State Language on Parenting Social Media Before and During the COVID-19 PandemicYatziv T, Simchon A, Manco N, Gilead M, Rutherford H. Parental Mentalizing During a Pandemic: Use of Mental-State Language on Parenting Social Media Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Clinical Psychological Science 2022, 10: 1129-1150. DOI: 10.1177/21677026211062612.
- Parenting and Addictions: Current Insights From Human NeuroscienceRutherford H, Kim S, Yip SW, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Strathearn L. Parenting and Addictions: Current Insights From Human Neuroscience. Current Addiction Reports 2021, 8: 380-388. PMID: 36185758, PMCID: PMC9523670, DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00384-6.
- Maternal working memory, emotion regulation, and responsivity to infant distressMartin R, Bridgett D, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Maternal working memory, emotion regulation, and responsivity to infant distress. Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology 2020, 71: 101202. DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101202.
- Amygdala Response to Traumatic Childbirth Recall is Associated With Impaired Bonding Behaviors in Mothers With Childbirth-Related PTSD Symptoms: Preliminary FindingsBerman Z, Kaim A, Reed T, Felicione J, Hinojosa C, Oliver K, Rutherford H, Mayes L, Shin L, Dekel S. Amygdala Response to Traumatic Childbirth Recall is Associated With Impaired Bonding Behaviors in Mothers With Childbirth-Related PTSD Symptoms: Preliminary Findings. Biological Psychiatry 2020, 87: s142. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.378.
- Parents’ Perceptions of Infant Crying: A Possible Path to Preventing Abusive Head TraumaWiley M, Schultheis A, Francis B, Tiyyagura G, Leventhal JM, Rutherford H, Mayes LC, Bechtel K. Parents’ Perceptions of Infant Crying: A Possible Path to Preventing Abusive Head Trauma. Academic Pediatrics 2019, 20: 448-454. PMID: 31629119, DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.10.009.
- Personality Organization and Maternal Addiction: A Structural-Developmental Psychodynamic ContributionAlvarez-Monjaras M, Rutherford H, Mayes L. Personality Organization and Maternal Addiction: A Structural-Developmental Psychodynamic Contribution. Psychoanalytic Psychology 2019, 36: 321-327. DOI: 10.1037/pap0000274.
- Maternal positive responses to a distressed infant simulator predict subsequent negative affect in infantsMcKay ER, Rosinski L, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV, Bridgett DJ. Maternal positive responses to a distressed infant simulator predict subsequent negative affect in infants. Infant Behavior And Development 2019, 56: 101299. PMID: 30670294, DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2018.12.004.
- Associations between Emotion Regulation and Parental Reflective FunctioningSchultheis AM, Mayes LC, Rutherford H. Associations between Emotion Regulation and Parental Reflective Functioning. Journal Of Child And Family Studies 2019, 28: 1094-1104. PMID: 31156323, PMCID: PMC6538273, DOI: 10.1007/s10826-018-01326-z.
- 1.3 Early Parental Care, Reflective Functioning, and the Neural Markers of Maternal Sensitivity in PregnancyGao L, Mayes L, Rutherford H. 1.3 Early Parental Care, Reflective Functioning, and the Neural Markers of Maternal Sensitivity in Pregnancy. Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2018, 57: s136. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2018.09.020.
- Minds shaped through relationships: the emerging neurobiology of parentingRutherford H, Mayes L. Minds shaped through relationships: the emerging neurobiology of parenting. 2018, 50-69. DOI: 10.4324/9780429474064-3.
- Executive Functioning Predicts Reflective Functioning in MothersRutherford H, Byrne SP, Crowley MJ, Bornstein J, Bridgett DJ, Mayes LC. Executive Functioning Predicts Reflective Functioning in Mothers. Journal Of Child And Family Studies 2017, 27: 944-952. PMID: 29937678, PMCID: PMC6007034, DOI: 10.1007/s10826-017-0928-9.
- Psychodynamic and Neuroscientific Perspectives on MotherhoodRutherford H, Mayes L. Psychodynamic and Neuroscientific Perspectives on Motherhood. The Psychoanalytic Study Of The Child 2017, 70: 151-153. DOI: 10.1080/00797308.2016.1277907.
- The Transition to Motherhood: Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience Perspectivesvon Mohr M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. The Transition to Motherhood: Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience Perspectives. The Psychoanalytic Study Of The Child 2017, 70: 154-173. DOI: 10.1080/00797308.2016.1277905.
- Current Tobacco-Smoking and Neural Responses to Infant Cues in MothersRutherford H, Maupin A, Landi N, Potenza M, Mayes L. Current Tobacco-Smoking and Neural Responses to Infant Cues in Mothers. Parenting 2017, 17: 1-10. DOI: 10.1080/15295192.2017.1262176.
- Motivated Attention and Reward in ParentingFerrey A, Santascoy N, McCrory E, Thompson-Booth C, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Motivated Attention and Reward in Parenting. Parenting 2016, 16: 284-301. DOI: 10.1080/15295192.2016.1184928.
- Investigating the relationship between working memory and emotion regulation in mothersRutherford H, Booth C, Crowley M, Mayes L. Investigating the relationship between working memory and emotion regulation in mothers. Journal Of Cognitive Psychology 2015, 28: 52-59. DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2015.1075542.
- Donald Winnicott Today Donald Winnicott Today. Edited by Jan Abram. East Sussex: Routledge, 2013.Rutherford H. Donald Winnicott Today Donald Winnicott Today. Edited by Jan Abram. East Sussex: Routledge, 2013. Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2014, 53: 702-704. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2014.04.008.
- Here's looking at you, kid: attention to infant emotional faces in mothers and non‐mothersThompson-Booth C, Viding E, Mayes LC, Rutherford H, Hodsoll S, McCrory EJ. Here's looking at you, kid: attention to infant emotional faces in mothers and non‐mothers. Developmental Science 2013, 17: 35-46. PMID: 24341972, PMCID: PMC4352331, DOI: 10.1111/desc.12090.
- Wie Beziehungen unser Gehirn prägenRutherford H, Mayes L. Wie Beziehungen unser Gehirn prägen. 2013, 129-154. DOI: 10.13109/9783666451300.129.
- The neurobiology of addiction and attachmentRutherford H, Potenza M, Mayes L. The neurobiology of addiction and attachment. 2013, 3-23. DOI: 10.1093/med:psych/9780199743100.003.0001.
- Correction to “Maternal neural responses to infant cries and faces: relationships with substance use”Landi N, Montoya J, Kober H, Rutherford H, Mencl W, Worhunsky P, Potenza M, Mayes L. Correction to “Maternal neural responses to infant cries and faces: relationships with substance use”. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2013, 3: 115. PMCID: PMC3566562, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00115.
- Investigating the impact of parental status and depression symptoms on the early perceptual coding of infant faces: An event-related potential studyNoll LK, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJ. Investigating the impact of parental status and depression symptoms on the early perceptual coding of infant faces: An event-related potential study. Social Neuroscience 2012, 7: 525-536. PMID: 22435403, DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2012.672457.
- Thriving and Surviving: Approach and Avoidance Motivation and LateralizationRutherford H, Lindell A. Thriving and Surviving: Approach and Avoidance Motivation and Lateralization. Emotion Review 2011, 3: 333-343. DOI: 10.1177/1754073911402392.
- Author Reply: More Than Evaluation: Lateralization of the Neural Substrates Supporting Approach and Avoidance Motivational SystemsRutherford H, Lindell A. Author Reply: More Than Evaluation: Lateralization of the Neural Substrates Supporting Approach and Avoidance Motivational Systems. Emotion Review 2011, 3: 347-348. DOI: 10.1177/1754073911402404.
- Disruption of Maternal Parenting Circuitry by Addictive Process: Rewiring of Reward and Stress SystemsRutherford HJ, Williams SK, Moy S, Mayes LC, Johns JM. Disruption of Maternal Parenting Circuitry by Addictive Process: Rewiring of Reward and Stress Systems. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2011, 2: 37. PMID: 21779252, PMCID: PMC3133875, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00037.
- Value associations of irrelevant stimuli modify rapid visual orientingRutherford H, O'Brien J, Raymond J. Value associations of irrelevant stimuli modify rapid visual orienting. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 2010, 17: 536-542. PMID: 20702874, DOI: 10.3758/pbr.17.4.536.
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Prevention and TreatmentRutherford HJ, Mayes LC, Potenza MN. Neurobiology of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Prevention and Treatment. Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics Of North America 2010, 19: 479-492. PMID: 20682216, PMCID: PMC2928062, DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2010.03.003.
- IOR for aversive stimuli is magnified when emotionally congruent responses are requiredRutherford H, Raymond J. IOR for aversive stimuli is magnified when emotionally congruent responses are required. Journal Of Vision 2010, 6: 957-957. DOI: 10.1167/6.6.957.
- What's in a cue? How value learning affects exogenous selection in dual-stream RSVPO'Brien J, Rutherford H, Ferrey A, Raymond J. What's in a cue? How value learning affects exogenous selection in dual-stream RSVP. Journal Of Vision 2010, 9: 186-186. DOI: 10.1167/9.8.186.
- Spatial attentional cuing effects on emotional evaluation of facesRutherford H, Goolsby B, Raymond J, Klein R. Spatial attentional cuing effects on emotional evaluation of faces. Journal Of Vision 2010, 5: 391-391. DOI: 10.1167/5.8.391.
- Effects of spatial cues on locating emotional targetsRutherford H, Raymond J. Effects of spatial cues on locating emotional targets. Visual Cognition 2010, 18: 389-412. DOI: 10.1080/13506280902787043.